Look and Touch
by Cerih
Summary: Jack and Ianto can convey everything of importance by look and touch alone. Jack/Ianto


Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood.

Author's note: This idea has percolated around my head for some time now. It stems from a line "The wordless language of look and touch" in a poem by Nicholas Evans called Walk Within You. Ages ago Darcy58 was telling me that I should show more than tell in my stories, so this became an exercise in showing. And finally, when Gmariam kindly looked at the first draft of chapter 13 of Love Worth Remembering, she said she needed a happy ending to wallow in. This may not be quite the happy ending she was after, but perhaps it goes at least part of the way.

So, this is for Darcy58 and Gmariam, who are both brilliant, awesome people!

Thank you also for Darcy58 for betaing this for me. You are much appreciated, as always.

* * *

Look and Touch

Neither man is much of a talker, certainly not when it comes to emotions. In the hectic pace of Torchwood, it is hard to find time for heartfelt conversations anyway. As a result, Ianto and Jack have learned to convey everything of importance through look and touch alone.

Ianto's face is an impassive mask. _You left._

Jack shuffles his feet. _But I came back for you._

Ianto turns partly away and looks down. _You came back for us, for the whole team._

Jack takes a half a step closer. _No, just for you._

Ianto's eyes widen slightly, hope flickering in them, but then all the emotion slips off his face again. _I don't know if I can trust you._

Jack steps closer, his hands slightly spread. _Could you try? I want to be able to spend the rest of your life with you._

Ianto's face softens as he turns to look at Jack. _Yeah?_

Jack closes the remaining distance between them, finding Ianto's hand. _Yeah._

* * *

The tiniest quirk of Jack's eyebrow: _How did you sleep last night?_

Ianto tilts his head a tiny amount as he regards a smiling Jack. _Surely you already know the answer to that question, Sir?_

A wicked grin flashes over the Jack's features as he slowly checks Ianto out. _I should think after all the exercise we had last night that you slept like a log._

The corner of Ianto's mouth twitches. Y_ou certainly slept well, not doubt everyone in the building could hear you snoring!_

Jack's nostrils widen in outrage. _Hey! I'll have you know that I don't snore. Ever._

Ianto's eye brow rises impossibly high. _Next time you spend the night at my place, I will set up some recording equipment. Then we'll see whether you snore or not._

Jack huffs. _You don't play fair._

Ianto's other eye brow rises to join its companion. _Neither do you!_

Jack's mouth spreads into a large grin. _Does that make us perfect for each other?_

Ianto steps closer. _I should think it does._

Jack's breath ghosts against Ianto's lips. _Perfect._

* * *

Fingers brush against the back of Ianto's hand when Jack walks past. _I missed you while you were working in the other room._

Ianto shifts slightly in Jack's direction. _It was lonely in the archives without you._

Jack wags his eye brows. _Next time you feel the need to work there, I could come and keep you company._

Ianto looks cool and detached. _I prefer to spend my work time working, Sir._

Jack grins, not fooled by the calm demeanour. _Consider it a team building exercise with your employer._

Ianto rolls his eyes. _I've never heard it called that before._

Jack's grin turns wicked. _There are plenty of excuses I can think of, if that's what it takes to get some alone time with you. _

Ianto sighs, looking slightly irritated by the shameless flirting. _I'm fairly sure this counts as harassment, Sir._

Jack's grin widens even more. _Tell you what, come to my office and we can go through the sexual harassment policy to determine a suitable punishment for me._

Ianto rolls his eyes and walks away to the sound of Jack's laughter. The rest of the team exchange puzzled glances and decide that it is probably best if they do not find out what the two men are up to this time.

* * *

Jack checks over Ianto's gun as they prepare to head out. As he hands the weapon over, their fingers brush together. _ Be careful out there._

Ianto tucks the weapon away, before holding the up the long coat so that Jack can slip it on. His hands linger on the broad shoulders. _I promise. Please don't seek out death unnecessarily._

Jack turns and steps closer, so they are mere inches apart. _No cost is too high to keep you safe, not even death._

Ianto's hands ghost over a determined jaw, not quite touching. _It hurts me when you die for me._

Jack leans forwards into familiar fingers. _It hurts me when you bleed for me._

Their hands entwine. _You are worth my blood._

Their lips meet in a kiss that is more about affection than passion. _You are worth my death._

* * *

Jack's lifeless body is gently lifted, so that Ianto can slip underneath him, to hold him close even as warmth leeches out of the broken body. Ianto can feel rain and blood seeping into his suit, which will need to be dry-cleaned after tonight, but none of it matters. He smoothes Jack's damp hair away from his eyes and makes sure that he is comfortably arranged on his lap. _Come back to me._

Ianto sits quietly, strangely serene in the awful moment. He would much prefer to share this quiet moment of closeness with Jack alive. _Come back to me, Jack._

He checks the time on his stopwatch. Twenty minutes have passed since the Hoix ripped open Jack's chest. The wound has closed already, but there is no sign yet of a return to life. _Please come back to me, Jack._

He tilts his head up, allowing the rain to wash away the tears of fear and uncertainly. Whenever he holds Jack like this, he wonders whether this might be the time Jack does not return. _Please come back to me, my love._

A shuddering gasp breaks the silence as life yanks Jack away from the darkness. _Ianto!_

He leans forward, pushing Jack a little more upright, so it is easier for him to breathe. _I'm here._

Hands wave in the air to grasp Ianto's arms. _I can't bear to return to life alone._

Ianto hugs Jack close to him as he takes huge gulps of air and tries to recover from death once again. _I will be here to hold you as long as you return to me._

They cling to each other, long after Jack has recovered. _I will always return to you, only to you._

* * *

Jack rolls his shoulders to ease some of the tension that has built in his muscles over the long day. The lines on the report he has been reading are blurring and he rubs his tired eyes. As if by magic, a mug of steaming coffee appears by his elbow, carefully placed on a coaster. _Coffee?_

He glances up at Ianto, who remains standing by his side. The mug is deliciously warm against his stiff fingers. _You are a mind reader, Ianto Jones._

This earns him Ianto's signature eye roll. _I should hope not. I doubt my poor innocent mind could handle the contents of your thoughts._

Jack leers at him. _You are hardly innocent, not after what you suggested we try last night. And besides, you might learn a thing or two if you had a quick perusal of my memories. There was this one time on a planet called Draxis Delta…_

Ianto quickly turns away. _There are some things it's better not to know, Sir!_

Jack cannot help the chuckle that rises within him. _Just kidding. It was worth it, just for your exasperation. _

Ianto turns to look at him over his shoulder. _How you tease me, Sir._

Raising the coffee cup to his lips, he nods gratefully. _Thank you for this._

Ianto acknowledges the sentiment with the tiniest nod of his head. _You looked like you needed it._

Jack's eyes soften. _I needed you bringing it as much as I needed the coffee._

He is rewarded with a rare genuine smile from Ianto. _Always a pleasure, Jack._

Jack simply nods as he watches Ianto walk away. _Yes, it is. _

* * *

As Jack talks to Gwen he feels Ianto lay a hand on top of his own. _You are mine and mine alone._

Jack turns his hand so their fingers can entwine. _I know that and I like it. But only as long as you are mine too._

Ianto's eyes soften. _As long as you'll have me._

The corner of Jack's mouth twitches as Gwen huffs. _We are annoying Gwen._

Ianto's eyes briefly dance with laughter. _I know!_

Jack's smile softens, becoming more intimate, a look reserved for just this man. Gwen finds herself turning away, despite being curious about the silent exchange between them. _You are a wicked man, Ianto Jones._

There is affection as well as laughter in Ianto's eyes as he tilts his head. _Yes, but I'm your wicked man and that's all that matters._

In the end Gwen walks away, because Jack and Ianto only have eyes for each other. The report she was presenting to Jack can wait.

* * *

Urgent fingers fumble against the buttons of Jack's shirt. _Need you now._

Ianto's cufflinks go skittering under the bed as Jack impatiently pulls his shirt off. _Want you now._

A series of kisses trails a path of desire across Ianto's pale skin. _I can never get enough of this, enough of you._

Ianto threads his fingers into Jack's hair. _Don't stop._

Jack rests his forehead against Ianto's as they try to catch their breath. _I want no one else but you. Always just you._

Ianto licks a bead of sweat from Jack's chest. _All I am, all I ever will be, is yours._

Jack shifts slightly, causing them both to gasp from the passion washing through them. He looks deep into Ianto's eyes, unusually serious during a moment when nothing separates them. _I love you._

Ianto gasps in surprise. He pulls Jack into a kiss that leaves a good ache inside them both. _I love you too._

The only words spoken out loud are their names, which weave together in the heat of passion to become a thread that binds them to one another.

* * *

"Do you think those two ever actually say anything to each other?" Owen mutters, watching Jack and Ianto stand side by side. They are not quite touching but each is looking intently at the other. Owen's comment causes Tosh and Gwen to share a glance and roll their eyes in unison.

"They are talking," Tosh gently explains to the baffled doctor. "You're just not listening."


End file.
